Pros:Easy to read, makes a fair amount of sense, what can it hurt.

Cons:Written by laymen, not doctors.

The Bottom Line:

The real test of this book will come if my Mom decides to use it. Reading it gave me some hope.

A Cancer Battle Plan by Anne E. Frahm with David J. Frahm.

This book is subtitled Six Strategies for beating Cancer, from a recovered "hopeless case." But really, I only see one strategy, with a six prong attack.

Anne Frahm was worried she might have cancer, but the doctor who read her mammogram said they were benign cysts. Then, her shoulder pain was bursitis, and her lower back pain, kidney infections. By the time they finally got up the nerve to question their doctor, the breast cancer had spread up and down her spine.

After radical chemo and radiation treatments failed, they pulled the Hail Mary play of Cancer treatment, collecting marrow stem cells from Anne, and then killing her own marrow with radiation. Hopefully this would kill the cancer too.

It didn't. She was now officially hopeless.

But having nothing to lose gives you a lot of options. She decided to try a nutritional approach to helping her own body fight the Cancer.

The fact that she is writing books speaks to her success.

The book is not long; 174 pages, divided into 8 chapters and 3 appendices. There are two introductions, and then the first chapter "A War Story" gives us her set up for discovering the Cancer, and the battles with conventional medication.

Chapter Two, "Know Your Enemy." Discusses Cancer, and it's causes. This is the first Principle. Know your enemy. Learn all you can.

Chapter Three is the second principle, "Cut off enemy supply lines." It discusses detoxifying the liver and colon to better allow your own bodies defense mechanisms to work. There are frank discussions about enemas, colonics, and juice fasts. These are not widely accepted treatments, but are gaining acceptance for a variety of conditions. And it makes sense. If you are waging a war, you want your soldiers in shape.

Chapter Four is the third principle, "Rebuild your Natural Defense System". It touts the benefits of a ‘live foods' diet. The Frahms went completely vegetarian, but this is not a requirement. Major sweeping and consistent changes are, however. Still, the benefit of flooding your bloodstream with enzymes and antioxidants that promote health and fight Cancer seems self evident. It discusses in detail a nutritional concept of food combining that was popular several years ago, and that received fairly favorable reviews.

Chapter Five: "Bringing in Reinforcements." The fourth principle is giving your body what it needs to do its work, in abundance. This chapter discusses the vitamins, minerals, and nutritional supplements that help the body fight Cancer directly, or bolster the systems weakened by the fight. Included are vitamins, and minerals; which are the ones to focus on, in what amounts and forms, and additional troops like fish oils (rich in omega 3s) garlic (what brand is best) and desiccated liver.

Chapter Six. "Maintaining Morale." This is the fifth principle. There are few crises that can not be made worse by giving into despair. This chapter advocates taking charge of your own health, refusing to play the victim, saying no to slavery (i.e., breaking the habits that landed you with this condition, or weaken your immune system), practicing thankfulness (appreciating life and what you have), finding humour, and setting goals...long term ones.

There is a direct statistical correlation to surviving catastrophic illness, and mental state. This isn't theory; it is fact, born out time and time again. Keeping your emotional state healthy helps your body heal as well.

Chapter Seven, Principle Six. "Carefully select your Professional help." You are building a team that must be able to work together to save your life, and that means people who know what they are doing, who put you first, and who allow you to lead the fight. The kinds of professionals under discussion are Oncologist, Nutritionist, (who is not the same thing as a dietician), Metabolic Physician, a medical doctor who helps the body maintain health through nutritional biochemistry, and, if appropriate, a Chiropractor. Along with the spiritual, mental side of your support team, these will be the most important people involved in making sure that you are armed for battle, and do not do yourself an injury through ignorance.

Chapter Eight is not for the Cancer Warrior, but for the loved ones, the caregivers. It reminds us that they too are in this fight, and it takes a toll on them as well. It offers concrete advice on how friends can really help, beyond sending flowers. Hint: just because someone is fighting for their life, it does not mean that laundry doesn't have to be done, and the grass does not need mowing.

The Appendices are A: C-Rations, a guide and recipe book for a live foods diet. Some of this sounds really good.

B. A Supplies Checklist. Simple and direct.

C. Resource List; a library of helpful books arranged by problem they address.

This book is fairly light: Anne and her husband are not Doctors, they just know a heck of a lot of them. However, what she has done is provided a readable and personable book that suggests a way to help you in your fight. I am not advocating this approach over traditional medicine, but I think it makes a lot of sense, and definitely goes under the heading of, ‘What can it hurt?'

I am giving this book to my mother to read later today when we visit the Oncologist. If she decides this is for her, there will be regular updates.